Optoelectronics are playing an increasing role in optical fiber communications systems. However shaping, or more generally processing, optical signals has up to now only been realistically proposed through converting the optical signal into an electrical signal by a photo-detector. The electrical signal is then processed by an electronic system and reconverted to an optical signal by means of a semiconductor laser. Such processing is effected in particular in optical regenerators. The need to include optical elements (lasers, detectors) in association with electronic elements (transistors) in such processing devices restricts the possibilities for integration of these elements on a common substrate, of indium phosphide for example. Furthermore, the electronic amplifiers which are employed may give rise to restrictions on the pass band.